Chapter 6
Hugh
I’m not even surprised when I drive down Main Street and see Alexi walking down the block.
She’s so damn stubborn, I think fondly as I hit my blinker and pull up to the curb alongside her.
I knew as soon as I texted her that I would be by tonight that she would have some excuse not to be home. I may not know everything about Alexi yet, but I’m learning quickly. I know she hates doctors, hates asking for help, and refuses to slow down even when she’s not feeling well.
She can’t seem to get away from me fast enough as I pull over.
I would think she wasn’t interested in me, but she blushes every time I get close to her.
I can always see her heartbeat fluttering at the base of her throat.
I can read Alexi, and I know she can feel this instant connection between us too.
“Where are we headed, baby?” I call out the window.
She side-eyes me. “Just out for a stroll.”
I bite back a smile. I can tell she’s tired and trying to hide it. She trudges on a few steps, and I shift into park.
“Are we walking? Or can I give you a ride? We can go get some food, and I can drive you home,” I offer.
She bites her bottom lip, and I know that she’s tempted, so I sweeten the deal.
“What are you hungry for? More soup? Tacos? A burger?”
Her eyes light up. “Tacos.”
“Okay, let’s go over to Salsa Supreme and get tacos for dinner.”
She hesitates for a moment, then with a big exhale, she turns and walks over to the passenger door. I’m about to hop out and get her door for her, but the light changes and cars honk their horns as they pass.
“What did you do today?” I ask her once she’s buckled up and we’re merging into traffic.
“Cleaned up my place a bit,” she says, resting her head against the passenger window.
“You should have been resting,” I scold.
She shrugs. “It wasn’t exactly hard work. Plus, it feels good to have a clean place now. It felt like my germs were everywhere.”
“They probably were.”
She smiles slightly as we pull into the drive-through of Salsa Supreme.
“What would you like?” I ask as we wait for our turn.
I place our order and drive around to the collection point, paying before Alexi can offer.
“Thanks,” she says softly as I pass her the bag of tacos.
I pull out onto the street. “Anytime. In fact, tomorrow I’ll cook for you.”
I try to hide my smirk as she turns to look at me like she thinks I might be the one who needs medical attention. I feel lighter than I’ve ever felt in my life as I turn and head toward her house.
A minute later, we pull into her driveway. I grab the food and climb out of my car. Alexi hops out on her side before I can go around to get her door. I shake my head as she darts past me and up to the front door.
Following her, I wedge my foot against her front door in case she tries to slam it in my face. She gives me a knowing grin as we head inside.
She keeps me on my toes. I love that.
“Looks nice in here,” I comment as we sit at her tiny kitchen table.
“Thanks.” She snatches the bag of food from me and pulls out the tacos, passing one to me.
I watch her as we eat in silence, marveling over her pretty face and sweet curves. My mouth waters for something more than food.
“Why are you here?” she suddenly asks.
“I like being with you,” I say honestly.
“No, I mean, why are you here in Wolf Valley? You have this big-city vibe about you. You’re a good doctor, so I imagine you could work anywhere. Why choose this tiny town?”
I like that she’s finally curious and wants to know more about me.
“I was born and raised in Connecticut. My parents are still there, but I wanted a change of pace.”
She lets out an unladylike snort. “Well, you couldn’t have gotten a bigger change, I’m sure.”
“The slow pace is starting to grow on me,” I admit. “But I came for the job. Being a department head at such a young age looks good on my resume. I like running things. I like being in charge and helping people.”
“So, dream job?”
“Yeah.”
The truth is that I was worried when I first got here, but I like the people I work with.
Wolf Valley may be small, but we’re always busy.
I get to do what I love in a place that seems to need me.
And finding Alexi has made all the difference.
So, yeah, moving to Wolf Valley was the best decision I’ve ever made.
“What about you? Why Wolf Valley?” I ask, finishing my last taco.
“I was born here.”
“And you never left?”
“I left for college, then came back.”
“What did you study?”
“Journalism,” she says with a wry smile. “I work for the paper here in town. Not sure for how much longer, though.”
“The paper isn’t doing well?”
“No, they’ve made a lot of layoffs recently. I have a feeling I’ll be next.”
“What will you do? Get a job with another paper? Somewhere close by?”
My head is already spinning with plans to follow her wherever she goes.
“I’m not sure. I’ve been freelancing a bit, writing and submitting to other papers and online outlets. That’s been going well for me.”
She shrugs as if it’s nothing, but I can sense her anxiety.
She’s worried about her future. I want to pull her into my arms and assure her that I’ll take care of everything, that I make enough to support us both, but I know that she’s not ready to hear that yet.
She would never take me up on an offer to loan her money either, so I change the subject.
“What about your parents?”
She tenses. “They’re gone.”
My stomach sinks. “I’m so sorry, Alexi.”
She nods jerkily and clears her throat. “Are you close to your parents?”
“No, not really. They’re very image-obsessed. They don’t like that I’m here in a small town in the middle of nowhere. They wish I was still on the East Coast, married to a socialite of their choosing.”
“And you don’t want that?”
“No. Every socialite they’ve introduced me to has been the same. Platinum blonde hair, rail thin, polite, distant smile.”
She ducks her head, but not before I see the tinge of jealousy in her eyes. “No one tempted you?”
I wait until she lifts her eyes to mine again and hold her gaze. “Not until you.”
She scoffs, but her expression softens with pleasure, and a blush stains her cheeks.
I lean closer. “Alexi, let me take you out tomorrow night.”
She swallows hard, studying me. I’m sure she’s about to reject me, but then she takes a deep breath and surprises me.
“Are you going to try to examine me in the middle of the date?”
I burst out laughing. “No, I promise I won’t. Unless you ask me to.”
“Okay, then… yeah, I’ll go out with you,” she whispers.
I grin like I just won the biggest award ever. This feeling is better than when I was accepted into medical school. It’s better than when I graduated or got this job. I’m ecstatic to have finally won her over. I’m going to make dinner for my woman.
Now I just need to convince her that love at first sight is a real diagnosis. If I can do that, my life will be perfect.